I took this one a few days ago but have been unsure how to process it. The essence of the shot, for me at least, are the shadows and the red lettering and small red lights, and I wasn't sure which post-processing option to go for. Anyway, to cut a long story short, this is something of a hybrid of techniques including using the Channel Mixer to convert to black and white - hence the black sky (masked to reveal the small red lights and lettering) - and the Curves tool, to marginally colourise the remainder of the image. In the end, I'm left wondering if some other choice might have been better, but I do think it's a reasonably striking image.
Anyway, I'm rather short of stuff to put up at the moment – other than one I'm really happy with, which will go up tomorrow – so it will have to do.
captured camera lens focal length aperture shutter speed shooting mode exposure bias metering mode ISO flash image quality RAW converter cropped?
1.44pm on 4/1/06
Canon 20D
EF 17-40 f/4L USM
40mm (64mm equiv.)
f/7.1
1/500
aperture priority
-2/3
evaluative
100
no
RAW
C1 Pro
2x1 + perspective corrected
I have to admit that im a bit of a sucker for signage when its done right.
I think this is.
I know its photoshopped (probably quite extensively), but impressed.
Great work, and im loving the break from the normal posts that your going for recently ;)
comment bynuno f at 08:23 PM (GMT) on 8 January, 2006
The sharpness of this photo is just amazing. Every detail is there and the treatment that you've made couldn't be better. Great work!
This is tomorrow's photo of the day in The Invisible Man. : )
comment byBartek at 08:24 PM (GMT) on 8 January, 2006
I think its the use of contrast that makes this photo fun. I like it.
comment bynuno f at 08:28 PM (GMT) on 8 January, 2006
On a side note (that I forgot to put in my last comment), I'm starting to work with C1 Pro to "developed" my RAW files. The results that I'm getting so far, makes me think if it was the right choice as RAW convertor instead of Adobe Camera RAW. Did you feel the same way when you first start to use C1 Pro? Thank you! : )
comment bydjn1 at 08:40 PM (GMT) on 8 January, 2006
nuno: I prefer C1 Pro, most of the time. Camera RAW is better for some night shots (it does a great job of correcting hot pixels) but most of the time prefer C1's output. It seems a bit cleaner, the shadow detail is better, and I prefer the white balance controls. It's also considerably better when you need to batch process a set of shots.
comment by Benji Dell at 09:18 PM (GMT) on 8 January, 2006
gotta love the lines on that sign.
how did you get the background to be so black? It says it was taken at 1.44PM
comment bynuno f at 09:18 PM (GMT) on 8 January, 2006
Thanks for the quick reply, David!
I'll try to explore C1 Pro better. : )
comment bydjn1 at 09:21 PM (GMT) on 8 January, 2006
Benji: I used the Channel Mixer to extract the red channel when I converted to black and white - reds are lightened, blues are darkened.
comment by GP at 09:37 PM (GMT) on 8 January, 2006
Very nice! :-)
comment by Zoltan at 09:53 PM (GMT) on 8 January, 2006
djn
It's been emotional
Sometimes the hospital food they dish me up drags me down, so it's great to have your photos to tell me something I don't already know.
can't wait for tomorrow's shot!
Z
comment by emily at 10:42 PM (GMT) on 8 January, 2006
I found it difficult to read the word in read but I like the overall effect of the shot.
Can't wait til tomorrow!!
comment byPatrick at 05:29 AM (GMT) on 9 January, 2006
Your processing is great - you enhanced all of the great characteristics about the photo.
comment byistoica at 06:40 AM (GMT) on 9 January, 2006
love the shadows! so moody and....fun
comment by Roy at 10:14 AM (GMT) on 9 January, 2006
As you may recall, I'm not usually a huge fan of partial colour reduction but in this case I think it really works well. This is due in part to the choice of subject, which lends itself extremely well to the treatment as it in no way looks 'false' - excellent technique you've appled as well of course!
As this is my first comment of 2006, may I wish you and yours a happy and productive New Year and may Chromasia continue to enlighten and entertain us all as it has for me for 18 months now!
comment bySteveO at 10:24 AM (GMT) on 9 January, 2006
Thats really weird, with the black sky it looks like a studio lit miniture model. Very cool effect, i like it.
comment by Darren at 10:34 AM (GMT) on 9 January, 2006
Interesting. Unusual but the lines and detail combined with the dash of colour make it work. Good work.
comment byNicolas Noben at 11:04 AM (GMT) on 9 January, 2006
I like your info about the post-processing and I think it's interesting to read, I also agree on the fact that this is a striking image. well done!
comment bybadstyle at 03:11 PM (GMT) on 9 January, 2006
Black, White and Red are a great combination of hue in any image - but this one is truly marvellous! I love the sharpness, and the tone.
Your use of photoshop - although extensive - it doesn't appear "photoshoped" to be fair this is excellent work.
I'm inspired - it takes a lot to inspire me.
comment byMichael Brown at 03:40 PM (GMT) on 9 January, 2006
Stark, bold, graphical image that has plenty to look at and to study!
comment bydjn1 at 04:46 PM (GMT) on 9 January, 2006
Thanks everyone.
comment by RustyJ at 10:49 PM (GMT) on 10 January, 2006
SteveO said exactly what I was thinking. The black sky makes the sign look like a model.
Very Cool.
I took this one a few days ago but have been unsure how to process it. The essence of the shot, for me at least, are the shadows and the red lettering and small red lights, and I wasn't sure which post-processing option to go for. Anyway, to cut a long story short, this is something of a hybrid of techniques including using the Channel Mixer to convert to black and white - hence the black sky (masked to reveal the small red lights and lettering) - and the Curves tool, to marginally colourise the remainder of the image. In the end, I'm left wondering if some other choice might have been better, but I do think it's a reasonably striking image.
Anyway, I'm rather short of stuff to put up at the moment – other than one I'm really happy with, which will go up tomorrow – so it will have to do.
camera
lens
focal length
aperture
shutter speed
shooting mode
exposure bias
metering mode
ISO
flash
image quality
RAW converter
cropped?
Canon 20D
EF 17-40 f/4L USM
40mm (64mm equiv.)
f/7.1
1/500
aperture priority
-2/3
evaluative
100
no
RAW
C1 Pro
2x1 + perspective corrected
great contrast in this one!
I have to admit that im a bit of a sucker for signage when its done right.
I think this is.
I know its photoshopped (probably quite extensively), but impressed.
Great work, and im loving the break from the normal posts that your going for recently ;)
The sharpness of this photo is just amazing. Every detail is there and the treatment that you've made couldn't be better. Great work!
This is tomorrow's photo of the day in The Invisible Man. : )
I think its the use of contrast that makes this photo fun. I like it.
On a side note (that I forgot to put in my last comment), I'm starting to work with C1 Pro to "developed" my RAW files. The results that I'm getting so far, makes me think if it was the right choice as RAW convertor instead of Adobe Camera RAW. Did you feel the same way when you first start to use C1 Pro? Thank you! : )
nuno: I prefer C1 Pro, most of the time. Camera RAW is better for some night shots (it does a great job of correcting hot pixels) but most of the time prefer C1's output. It seems a bit cleaner, the shadow detail is better, and I prefer the white balance controls. It's also considerably better when you need to batch process a set of shots.
gotta love the lines on that sign.
how did you get the background to be so black? It says it was taken at 1.44PM
Thanks for the quick reply, David!
I'll try to explore C1 Pro better. : )
Benji: I used the Channel Mixer to extract the red channel when I converted to black and white - reds are lightened, blues are darkened.
Very nice! :-)
djn
It's been emotional
Sometimes the hospital food they dish me up drags me down, so it's great to have your photos to tell me something I don't already know.
can't wait for tomorrow's shot!
Z
I found it difficult to read the word in read but I like the overall effect of the shot.
Can't wait til tomorrow!!
Your processing is great - you enhanced all of the great characteristics about the photo.
love the shadows! so moody and....fun
As you may recall, I'm not usually a huge fan of partial colour reduction but in this case I think it really works well. This is due in part to the choice of subject, which lends itself extremely well to the treatment as it in no way looks 'false' - excellent technique you've appled as well of course!
As this is my first comment of 2006, may I wish you and yours a happy and productive New Year and may Chromasia continue to enlighten and entertain us all as it has for me for 18 months now!
Thats really weird, with the black sky it looks like a studio lit miniture model. Very cool effect, i like it.
Interesting. Unusual but the lines and detail combined with the dash of colour make it work. Good work.
I like your info about the post-processing and I think it's interesting to read, I also agree on the fact that this is a striking image. well done!
Black, White and Red are a great combination of hue in any image - but this one is truly marvellous! I love the sharpness, and the tone.
Your use of photoshop - although extensive - it doesn't appear "photoshoped" to be fair this is excellent work.
I'm inspired - it takes a lot to inspire me.
Stark, bold, graphical image that has plenty to look at and to study!
Thanks everyone.
SteveO said exactly what I was thinking. The black sky makes the sign look like a model.
Very Cool.
Thanks Davidl.